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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Here my latest Frida art doll. She is making her way down to the Frida Show in CA where she'll be joining my other doll already on display. I was asked if I would create another one for the show, similar to the first one but not exactly the same. Initially I had planned to make marionettes of Frida and Diego, but having el Dia de los Muertos on my mind I chose to create two Fridas as representing vida y muerte, life and death..

: : D o l l D e s c r i p t i o n : :

This Frida doll is a hanging wall piece and is approx.15" in length and 8" wide at the base of the dress. She is wearing a corset made of plaster with the words "Las lágrimas de la vida riego mi alma"( The tears of life water my soul) written across it. A green ribbon made of dupioni silk adorns her waist. Her skirt is made of green silk and black satin with sequins on it. The white cotton trim on the skirt is made from vintage fabric. Around her arms she wears a shawl in various hues of purples with black fringe on the ends. In her hair are silk and flocked paper flowers and her necklace is made of lapis. The banner across Frida's dress has printed on it a passage from her diary ,in Spanish, that reads "We were born for the same thing, to discover and love what has been discovered. Hidden. With the grief of always losing it".

I'm quite relieved to see this month come to an end~it's been a busy and at times frustrating one, however I have it firmly set in my mind that October will be a productive and creative month, without (m)any setbacks, illnesses, etc. I wish the same for all of you!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Here is the latest Frida Art Doll~she is a bit larger than most of my dolls and includes elements of my previous Fridas from earlier this year and last. This is a portrayal of Frida in her latter years, her face aged due to years of pain (physical and emotional) yet she still maintains her regal /proud stance while tears fall from her unflinching gaze. Her corset (made of plaster bandages)reads : "La Frida que exite adentro de mi es conocida solamente por mi" (The Frida that exists inside is known only to me).

The older Frida holds a marionette of her younger self as a way of expressing how she takes responsibility for the choices she has made in her life, no matter the circumstances she found herself in. Her bare chest is partially covered with gold flakes (a reminder of the trolley accident that nearly took her life at 17). She is holding a human heart, a ribbon wraps around it with the words " El corazon de Diego~ El que suministra todo amor y dolor" (Diego's heart~the one that supplies every love and pain).

From the heart an artery twists upward around her arm and penetrates through her corset, connecting to her own heart. In her other arm she holds a Frida dove, serene, eyes closed with a broken wing protected in her arms. A ribbon cascading from her hand reads a quote from her diary " Mi Diego~ Yo no estoy solo. ¿ Alas? Tú me acompañas. Tu me duermes y me a vivas." ( My Diego~I am no longer alone. Wings? You keep me company. You lull me to sleep and make me come alive). The bird represents her spirit~at times broken but on the mend and ready to rise above all that trys to bring her down.

I will include a doll description (materials used) later when she is for sale. In the meantime I must make another disappearing act as my parents just arrived in town last night and we're headed out for the day. I'll be occupied with family stuff the next two weeks but will do my best to post some of the new Day of the dead dolls when they're ready. It was probably wishful thinking to assume I would get alot done in regards to my dolls this Summer but I have to remind myself that at least I did create a few and I think they are among my best work yet :) Thank you so much for all of your emails ,birthday wishes and continued support and encouragement! Have a great week!

Friday, January 09, 2009

I spent the morning getting acquainted with my new camera and lens and finally have some photos to show. This Frida and Diego "Shrine/Memory Box" was something I created for an auction to be held this March. Rebecca at Recuerda Mi Corazon is hosting the auction online with artists from all over donating shrines~the only requirement is that a cigar box be used. The proceeds will go to help out a non-profit organization called Oaxaca Street Children Grassroots. They help sponsor children by getting them off the streets and financially helping out with their education, clothing,food,etc. I think this is something worth supporting and so that's why I'm participating. I'm posting images now as the shrines are due this week and I will be mentioning this post again in March with all of the details about the auction. Fellow bloggers Michelle from 3rdeyemuse and Stephanie from Rodrigvitz Style are also participating :)

I found this cigar box online and loved the rich colors and imagery of "Romeo and Juliet" and so I tried to leave much of that untouched. (With doors closed, the Box Measures 6.5" x 8.5" x3.25"). I covered the sides with matching adhesive paper and added the same on the inside of the front doors (to cover up the Surgeons General stickers). They read "Frida y Diego..Nina Fisita and the Frog-Toad"..their pet names for each other. I thought it amusing to have my dolls in this box as they were a love story of a different kind than Shakespeare's characters..hardly Romeo and Juliet, but passionate nonetheless.

The Frida doll is my smallest one yet at 7" tall (my Christmas ornaments were 8.5"-9") and she is holding a Diego Marionette that stands approx. 3.25" tall. Frida is held in place with cording and lots of epoxy on her feet and at the top of the box I recruited my "model-maker" husband to help me out with some of the technical details/materials needed as he's an expert at this). The top of the marionette is also epoxied to Frida's hand and the wood handle has a tiny metal rod in it to ensure that it won't break. Diego's hands and legs are movable as are Frida's arms.

The floor was made using tiny red tiles I found at the craft store and I added a design on each using a pink oil paint marker ~I love how they tuned out.The inside walls are coated with spackle/plaster and painted with acrylics. I used an image of a bird and banner similar to one Frida had painted and I translated, into Spanish, part of a poem from Edar Allen Poe (Annabel Lee) "We loved with a love that was more than love"~ "Adramos con un amor que fue mas que fue el amor" (I hope I got that right). I added a coppery wall piece with marigolds and Calla Lillies as well.

This piece comes with a saw tooth hanger on the back or can be displayed on a shelf.

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"Tallulah", 2009

To be notified of when I will have more dolls available, contact me at:
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